32 years of contributions in UK. 6 in Ireland. Options for claiming state pension?

[ukpokerguy]

I'm retiring shortly, aged 60. I live now here in Ireland after spending most of my working life in the UK.

As it stands I have amassed 32 years of NI contributions in the UK and, at time of retirement here in Ireland, will have amassed 6 years of NI contributions here.

What are my options with getting a State pension (aged 67 in UK and 66 here)?

Do I claim the state pension here, as I now live here, or do I max out my NI contributions to 35 years in the UK then claim my state pension there (when the time comes)

Would I get any additional pension here in Ireland then for the 6 years I've contributed here?

 

[Conan]

Essentially you have two options:
1. Claim two pensions (one from UK + one from ROI) based on your record in each country,
2. seek to have your UK record added to your Irish record to claim a higher pension in Ireland.

You can check with the Dept of Work & Pensions in the U.K. as to what your pension would be from the U.K.
In terms of the Irish Pension, you normally need at least 520 weekly contributions (10 years) to qualify for even the minimum State Pension. If you currently have 6 years contributions, you may be able to add to these by Credits (subject to certain conditions) or by Voluntary Contributions.
However since the basic State Pension from the UK is smaller than in Ireland, you might be better off trying to add the U.K. contribution history to your Irish record, which would probably result in getting the max State Pension in Ireland (currently €248.30 people).
Whether two reduced pensions would exceed the max Irish Pension is something you will just have to work out after you find out what your UK pension will be. You might also consult with your local Citizens Information Office as to what entitlement you might have in the Irish system.